


home is where the heart is

by intothenowhere



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 03:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13332498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intothenowhere/pseuds/intothenowhere
Summary: Jemma finds comfort in her friends after they return home from the Lighthouse.





	home is where the heart is

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lilsciencequeen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilsciencequeen/gifts).



> This was written as part of the aosficnet's holiday exchange. Sorry for the delay in posting, but I hope you enjoy it regardless <3

All she can hear is the sound of the heart monitor beeping; the smell of the chemicals in the air is overbearing, and it's absolutely  _ freezing _ .

 

All she can see is the motionless figure in the bed, his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling slowly; the scruff on his face is more prominent than she’s used to seeing, but it does little to hide the scars and bruises he received from…

 

Tears blur Jemma’s vision and she bites her lip to keep from crying out: the last thing she needs is the team to run in here to check on her, because she won't be able to lie to them that she's okay. 

 

She doubts they’d believe her, anyway. Not after everything.

 

Unfortunately, it seems her luck’s ran out, because someone decides at that precise moment to knock on the door.

 

She barely has enough time to wipe her tears before Hunter creeps in, looking exhausted, with a few of his own cuts and bruises.

 

His eyes zero in on Fitz, and his expression becomes stony, his jaw set. “I told him not to die out there, you know.” Hunter says, breaking the funeral silence in the room. “Guess I should’ve added not getting his arse kicked by the blue man group.”

 

Jemma makes a non-committal noise of acknowledgement, and Hunter turns toward her, his expression softening. “How long have you been in here?”

 

Jemma shrugs, feigning ignorance, but Hunter sees right through it, judging from his critical stare. She sighs, “Two days, alright? I've been here waiting for him…” she cuts herself off, knowing if she goes any further she’ll break.

 

Hunter sits down in the chair beside her, and remains quiet for so long that Jemma hopes he’ll just be a silent witness to Fitz’s recovery, but she isn't that lucky.

 

“When Bob...after what that sick bastard did to her, I stayed by her side as much as possible. Wouldn't even sleep, cos I didn't fancy seeing her take that bullet over and over.” Hunter shakes his head. “What I'm saying is that I would’ve gone mad, sitting there on my own, wallowing in guilt. Cos that bullet was meant for me, you know. But Fitz...he stayed with me, made me eat, made me sleep.”

 

Jemma stills: she didn't know Fitz stayed with Hunter, but then how could she? Two days after Bobbi’s capture, she was trapped on Maveth.

 

“What's that got to do with now?” Jemma asks, when Hunter doesn't continue.

 

He turns to her, thoughtful. “It means I'm not leaving you here alone. You either get to sit here with me, or go to bed.”

 

Jemma narrows her eyes at him, but he doesn't budge. She drops her gaze and turns back to Fitz; she and Hunter both know what her answer will be, so she doesn't bother voicing it. She’s not leaving him again,  _ ever _ .

 

The night drags on, silent except for Hunter's phone buzzing a few times, and the monitors that surround Fitz. The hospital they're in is secure, she knows that, but she can't help but feel like she's guarding Fitz from anyone that may try to take him from her.

 

Around three in the morning, Daisy comes in and pulls a chair up beside Jemma. There's a new scar on her neck, from where they removed the chip that dampened her powers.

 

Daisy reaches out and takes Jemma’s hand, offering a reassuring smile. Jemma returns it a little tiredly, but gratefully.

 

It isn't until six that Jemma almost dozes off, her head resting on Lance's shoulder, sharing a blanket with Daisy, who’s fast asleep and still clinging to Jemma’s hand. 

 

It's also at six in the morning that a groggy, thick Scottish voice remarks, “The three of you act like 'm dying, or something.”

 

Jemma leaps out of the chair, nearly falling when her legs get tangled in the blanket. The tugging and pulling of her struggle against it wakes Daisy, and it takes the two of them to free her.

 

Jemma rushes to Fitz's bedside as soon as she’s able. He’s still pale, but his gorgeous blue eyes are finally open, and he’s looking at her like she hung every star in the night sky, just for him.

 

“You're awake,” she whispers, ignoring his previous snark. 

 

“Course I am,” Fitz replies, “couldn't leave my fiance alone, now could I?”

 

Jemma nearly sobs with relief, and closes the distance between them, kissing him softly on the lips before pulling back away. She hears Hunter and Daisy step out of the room, promising to be back once she and Fitz are done. 

 

“You shouldn't have done that,” Jemma scolds him. “Throwing yourself in front of the Kree--”

 

“It was going to kill you, Jem.”

 

“Well, you should’ve saved my life some other way. I don't want to live a day without you, Fitz. I can't. I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to. Don't you understand that? I want us to be married, to settle down in Perthshire. But we can't do that if you get yourself killed!”

 

Fitz sucks in a deep breath, but says nothing. Jemma exhales sharply, her bones feel like lead ad wave after wave of exhaustion hit her. It's been maybe a week and a half since their worlds were turned upside down, and they found themselves in the Lighthouse. It's been only three weeks since Daisy came back in their lives, since all this madness began.

 

“I'm sorry, Jemma. I don't think about...about what would happen after.” Fitz says softly. “I just want to keep you safe.”

 

Jemma takes his hand firmly in hers, and fixes him with a glare. “I don't want you to die for me. I want you to  _ live _ for me, Fitz. Protect me all you want, but not at the cost of your own life.”

 

Fitz nods. “I will, I promise.”

 

“Good.” Jemma says with a breath of relief. Fitz nods, then scoots over as best he can, before patting the mattress.

 

“C’mere,” he breathes, and it doesn't take much to convince Jemma. She spreads out beside him, careful not to touch any of his wounds as she lightly places her head on his chest.

 

“I've missed this.” Fitz admits, rubbing her back.

 

“I've missed you.”

 

“Guess we’ll just have to make sure we’re never separated again.” 

 

Jemma smiles at the determination in his voice, and then she's out cold, lulled to sleep by the feeling of his chest rising and falling, of the overbearing sense of being home.


End file.
